Results 2,501-2,520 of 20,682 for speaker:Mary Hanafin

Child Poverty. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It is not possible to identify the family incomes of the vast bulk of the working population of the State. Married couples are identified in the code, but cohabiting couples are not. We are anxious for people to avail of the family income supplement scheme. By the end of the year, the number of people doing so will probably have increased slightly by comparison with the number at the end...

Child Poverty. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I am saying that it cannot be done in the cases of the vast bulk of workers. One might be able to identify a target group, but one cannot do it for the whole working population. Such matters are being discussed at present. In the specific case of family income supplement, the system is designed to support people who are in low-paid employment. It is also a way of ensuring that people can...

Child Poverty. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The other point that needs to be made is that most such people do not pay tax. They are not covered by the tax net because they are on low incomes.

Child Poverty. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Almost 50% of people will be out of the tax net next year. Even if the Revenue Commissioners were able to identify everybody on its books, it could not identify those who do not pay tax.

Money Advice and Budgeting Service. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to take Questions Nos. 69 and 90 together. The Money Advice and Budgeting Service, MABS, is the main Government-funded service that assists those who are overly indebted and need help and advice to cope with their debt problems. The role of money advisers is to help clients to assess their financial situations, make budget plans and deal with their creditors. MABS is dealing with...

Money Advice and Budgeting Service. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The Deputy's last point is important. Some people are advertising that they are debt collectors, but are giving the impression that they are almost doing it as a community service and that they are working closely with MABS. We are concerned about this and that is why we are ensuring that information on the MABS website and telephone line is well advertised. The service provided by MABS is...

Money Advice and Budgeting Service. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I understand the average number on a waiting list is 31. I believe the Deputy asked for the longest waiting time. I do not have that specific information.

Money Advice and Budgeting Service. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: In fairness the only issues MABS will not deal with are commercial difficulties. MABS advisers are finding that the people coming into them have a very complex range of personal difficulties, some of which may indeed be tied up with commercial entities. However, as far as possible they are able to deal with them very successfully. The renewed programme for Government contains a specific...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: I propose to answer Questions Nos. 60 and 61 together. Rent supplement is payable to people who are unable to meet the cost of renting private accommodation and is intended as a short-term support. There are currently more than 91,600 people in receipt of rent supplement, an increase of almost 24% since the end of December 2008. It is essential to ensure that State support for rent...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: There are two basic questions from Deputy Naughten, who I welcome to the portfolio. The savings outlined at the beginning of the year amounted to €48 million. Those savings have been achieved by virtue of the changes introduced. However, they do not show up on the bottom line of expenditure on rent supplement because demand has increased. The published Estimate for the year was €490...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: We have built savings of €48 million into that. The additional claims accounted for amount to €77 million. Unfortunately, it is one of those cases where there was an increase in demand. Deputy Naughten's second question is central to reducing expenditure on rent supplement, which is to get people to move to RAS. The responsibility of local authorities is critical in this matter. We...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: In the April budget, when we reduced by 8% the rent supplement payment to all existing tenants, I was excoriated and people suggested this was far too penal. Now, I am told that others can make savings of 16%.

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: It shows that people have been able to negotiate with landlords and have been able to get a reduction in rents.

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: Based on CSO and PRTB figures, rents have reduced by 13% since January and a full 20% in the past 12 months. Even since we introduced the reduction, rents have reduced by another 3%. There is scope on this issue. Some 23,000 properties are available for rent so there is plenty of scope for people to negotiate, as they have done successfully. I am well aware of the Dublin City Council case...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: The responsibility for RAS and housing rests with the local authorities. The questions put by the Deputies are valid but I suggest that they table them for the relevant Department.

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: As far as I am concerned the more people who transfer the better as it saves on rent supplement. One cannot take two different attitudes in the same year to the same scheme. At the beginning of the year we were not doing enough to protect the vulnerable or giving enough to the poor unfortunate tenants. We were going to have them out on the street and homeless because of the changes we...

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: This year, we have already decreased the amount of rent that was acceptable, therefore decreasing the amount of money paid to tenants to give to landlords and increasing the amount of money that tenants had to pay out of their own personal contribution.

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: This helped to make savings this year. Earlier this year we accepted - Deputies were critical of the fact that we were putting such pressure on people - that-----

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: -----for very many people it is only really possible to negotiate when their leases are up for renewal, which is on an annual basis. We anticipate more savings there. We are also actively examining the way in which rents are decreasing all the time. We will set new rent levels which will incur savings, bearing in mind differentials throughout the country and-----

Social Welfare Benefits. (11 Nov 2009)

Mary Hanafin: -----for various groups, such as a single person having more difficulty than a family which is able to find a semi-detached house somewhere. I accept the principle that moving people out of rent supplement and into RAS is the best way to make savings.